Dough divider



March 21, 1939.

c. RUSSELL DOUGH DIVIDBR Filed Aug. 31, 1956 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Ellllll lMarch 21, 1939.

DOUGH DIVIDER Filed Aug. 31, 1936 C. L. RUSSELL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 March21, 1939. c. L. RUSSELL DOUGH DIVIDER Filed Aug. 51, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet3 C. L. RUSSELL DOUGH DIVIDER March '21, 1939.

Filed Aug. 31, 1936 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Patented Mar. 21, 1939 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE DOUGH DIVIDER Application August 31, 1936, SerialNo. 98,667

2 Claims.

This invention relates to bakers machinery, and with regard to certainmore specific features, to dough dividers.

Among the several objects of the invention may 5, be noted the provisionof a simple and rugged dough divider which is adapted to operatecontinuously; the provision of a dough divider having partitioningchambers in which substantially no punishing of the dough takes place;the

in provision of apparatus of this class described which has improved,adjustable scaling means; and the provision of a machine of this classwhich shall have regulable output. Other objects will be in part obviousand in part pointed out herein- 15 after.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated one of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

25 Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a back elevation of the machine of Fig. l, certain parts beingbroken away for clary;

39 Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken from the right of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a front elevation of a scaling mechanism, certain parts beingshown in cross section;

. Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken substan- 35 tially along line5-5 of Fig. 4';

Fig. 6 is a vertical cross section taken substantially along line 6--6of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary front elevation of a portion of Fig. 1, showingcertain parts in an 40 alternative position; i Fig. 8 is a diagrammaticview illustrating the progressive stages of operation of the scalingmechanism;

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic developed view show- 45 ing the layout of a camin the scaling mechanism;

and,

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, showing a differentadjustment ofthe cam.

Similar reference characters indicate corre- 50 sponding partsthroughout the several views of substantially or completely depleted. Itis then shut down and reloaded. The disadvantage of this system is thatthe machine is unproductive a substantial portion of the time. Thepresent invention eliminates the batch operation and ef- 5 fects acontinuous operation of the machine.

Prior machines have also used dividing and scaling means which, whenregistering with the supply tank or the like, have, at least at someadjustment, employed chambers of finite volume 10 from which air wasrequired to be expelled as the dough entered. This was disadvantageous,because added mechanism was required to vent the air, and furthermore,the dough needed to act as a compression member to drive out the air.These machines also made full use of the dough as a compression memberto displace certain elements during the cycle operation which resultedin undesirable punishing of the dough. The present invention eliminatesthese difficulties.

A point to be noted in connection with the description set outhereinafter is that the present machine is well adapted to handle dough,as distinguished from batter. A batter is of a more fluid-likeconsistency; whereas dough is more or less plastic and thus morediflicult to handle. Furthermore, dough should not be subjected to saidso-called punishing, that is, it should not be compressed and deformedtoany great extent in the dividing and scaling or other operation. Thisproblem does not enter into the art of handling batters as it does inthe art of handling dough.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral I aframe supporting a supply hopper 3. The frame I also houses a drivingmotor 5 which drives an air compressor 1 by way of a set of gears 9. Themotor 5 also drives (see Figures 2 and 3) the constant speed shaft I! ofa variable-speed transmission l3, this being done by way of a chaindrive l5. The variable speed transmission may be any one of the typesnow on the market, but I prefer for the present embodiment of theinvention, a so-called Reeves drive such as is illustrated and.described in Kinematics of Machines, by Guillet, second edition, 1930,pages 201-202. From the variable speed shaft i (Fig. 3) of the variabledrive or transmission 13 there is provided a train of gears I9 fortransmitting motion to a scaling valve 2|. A branch portion 23 of saidtrain leads to and drives a rounding bowl 25. The speed of shaft I! withrespect to shaft H of the transmission I3 may be adjusted from a handwheel 21 (Fig. 2).

The air compressor 1 supplies air to a supply tank 26 (Fig. 3), thecompressor and tank arrangement being equipped with suitable unloadingand safety devices. An air line 28 leads from the tank 26 up to a branch3|. One lead 33 from said branch 3! connects to two pipe sections 35connected to the cylinders of two lifting devices 31, the air in pipes35 being controllable by stop cocks 39. It should be understood at thispoint in the description, that the hopper 3 is separated intocompartments connected with tanks 41, each being covered by a lid 4|.The lids are hinged to a common center hinge member 43 and are normallyclamped down by means of hand-operated clamps 45. When it is desired tolift a lid, the respective clamp 45 is loosened and the respective stopcook 39 opened, whereupon air flows through the line 35 and beneathsuitable pistons to lift the lid. It will be seen that the lids may belifted alternatively or simultaneously, inasmuch as the cooks 39 areindependently operable. It will be noted that the chamber 3 which iscentrally partitioned into two divisions, as shown at numeral 2, haseach of said divisions communicate with said separate tanks 41 to whichthe lids 4| apply.

The other division of the branch 33 of the line 29 (Fig. 2) passesthrough a regulator 49 and thence to a line 5| which branches into twolines 53 leading into the tops of the interiors of the dough tanks 41. Athree-way cook 55 in the line permits of placing either or both of thetanks 41 under pressure, and release cocks 51 permit of relief of thepressure in either of the tanks desired. Hand wheels 59 (Fig. 1) withsuitable extension rods are used for control purposes of the valves orcocks 55 and 51. Suitable safety or pop valves are included in the linesreferred to.

As shown in Fig. 4, the separate tanks 41 lead to separate chambers 6|in the members 3. The separate chambers 6| have separate outlets 63which are clamped in juxtaposition to separate converging inlets 65 in avalve block 61. The valve block 61 has a downwardly extending outlet 69,and a cylindrical valve closure element 1| which is provided with aninterior passage 13. A handle 14 (see Fig. 1) permits manual rotation ofthe valve closure element 1|, so that the passage 13 may be usedalternately to connect either inlet 65 to the outlet 69, thus placing,at any one time, only one of the tanks 41 in communication with theoutlet 69.

The outlet 69 delivers the dough into a chamber 15 (see Fig. 5), whichis provided with a removable sloping bottom member 11, and a fronthaving a discharge opening 15. The member 11 is received in a suitablerecess 19 on the top of the frame I, and is held in operative positionby a swingable arm 8| having an adjustable head 83. By reference to Fig.5, it will readily be seen that the member 11 may be removed from theapparatus, as for cleaning, by lifting the arm 8| to its dotted lineposition, and then merely sliding the member 11 backwardly and liftingit away from the frame.

The sloping bottom of member 11 in the chamber 15 serves to change thedirection of flow of the incoming dough, which, up to the present point,has been vertically downward, to a horizontal, forward direction,through discharge opening 16 and into the scaling valve or mechanism 2|,which will now be described.

Numeral 18 indicates a circular disc or plate of considerable thickness,that is mounted on a shaft 80, and secured against rotation thereon bymeans of a spline 82. The shaft 80 (see Fig. 3) is driven by the geartrain I9 heretofore described.

Numerals 83 indicate a plurality (six in the present embodiment) ofholes or cylinders that are provided in a circular arrangement on thedisc 18, the axes of the cylinders 83 being parallel to the axis of theshaft 80. The cylinders 83 extend through the disc 19, from the frontface to the back face thereof.

The frame I is provided with a fiat front face 85 against which the backface of the disc 18 fits tightly. The edges of the chamber 15 form acontinuation of this front face 85.

Numeral 81 indicates a portion or extension of the shaft 80 of reduceddiameter, on which slips a collar or disc 89. Numeral 9| indicates asecond collar, and numeral 93 indicates a compression spring that reactsbetween the outer face of collar 89 and the inner face of collar 9|. The

extreme end of the shaft 80 is threaded, as indicated at numeral 95, toreceive a knurled nut 91. The nut 91, bearing upon the collar 9|, placescompression in the spring 93, which reacts against the collar 89 toforce the disc against the face 35 of the frame I.

The disc 89 is formed with a forwardly extending cylindrical portion 99,which encloses the outer end of the shaft 80 and the mechanism mountedthereon, as described. The outer cylindrical surface of the extension 99forms a guide means for certain elements to be described.

Numeral IOI indicates a cylindrical member that is rigidly mounted onthe frame I surrounding the outer periphery of rotatable disc 18. Thecylinder is not rotatable. The cylinder I0| serves to mount, in astationary manner, a dough dividing regulating mechanism next to bedescribed.

Extending forwardly from one side of the cylinder I0I are a. pair ofpins I03 and I05, upon which are rotatably hinged upper and lowersemicircular halves I01 and I09 of a clamp arrangement. The oppositeends of the clamp halves I01 and I09 come together, and are latched byhooking mechanisms III and II 3, respectively, to a suitable member IIextending outwardly from the opposite side of the cylinder MI. Theconstruction of the hooking members I I I and I I3, which are of astandard type, is adequately illustrated in Fig. 4. When the halves I01and I09 are brought together, it will be seen, they form a completecircle that is coaxial with the shaft 80.

When the hooks III and H3 are released, the clamp halves I01 and I09 maybe swung outwardly on their respective pins I03 and I05, to

the positions indicated in Fig. '7, for purposes hereinafter to bedescribed.

Each of the clamp halves I01 and I 09 comprises a front ring portion H1and 'rear ring portion H9, which are connected by more-or-lesscylindrical portion I2I. In the upper clamp half I01, the cylindricalportion I 2| is omitted for a considerable interval I23, and thus doesnot appear in the cross section of Fig. 5. The inner faces ofcylindrical portions |2I on the two clamp halves I01 and I09 serve tomount a cam raceway or track I25, which is shown in developed form inFigures 9 and 10.

Referring now to Fig. 9, it will be seen that the raceway I25 comprisesa forward cam track I21 and a rearward cam track I29. On the upper clamphalf I01, the raceway I25 is divided into three sections A, Band C,while on the lower clamp half I09, the raceway is divided into threesections D, E and F. In the sections A, B, C, E and F, the rearward camI29 is disposed parallel to the end pieces I I 9, and at a minimumdistance from said end pieces II9. In the sections A and F, the forwardcam I2! is parallel to the rearward cam I29, and spaced therefrom auniform distance sufiicient closely to receive a roller I3I, the purposeof which will be explained hereinafter. In the sections B and D, theforward cam I21 is spaced parallel to the rearward cam I29, but is at aminimum distance from the front pieces II I, thus providing, in thesesections, a relatively wide space between the cams I21 and I29. Insection E, the forward cam I2"! is curved, in such a manner as to jointhe portions of cam I21 located in sections D and F in a smooth,unbroken manner.

It will be understood that when the clamp halves I01 and I09 are closedtogether, as indicated in Fig. 4, the outer extremities of sections AandF juxtapose, the cam I21 and I29 being continued, without lateralshifting, across the joint.

In all of the sections A, C, D, E and F, the cams I21 and I29 arepermanently mounted, in a fixed manner, on the cylindrical pieces I2I,and are not movable with respect thereto. The sections of cams I2! andI29 on section B, on the other hand, are mounted'on a movable block I33.The block I33 has a cylindrical shape to form an approximatecontinuation of the cylindrical walls IZI, but is suspended on ahorizontal screw I35 which is journaled in extensions I31 projectingfrom the upper edges of side pieces II! and H9. The screw I35 passesthrough a lead block I39 which forms a top portion of the movable blockI33. A handle MI is provided for rotating the screw I35. A collar I43 onthe screw I35 prevents moving the block I 33 too far forward, or to theleft, in the Fig. position. It will readily be seen that when the handleMI is actuated to turn the screw I35, the lead block I39 slides onsaidscrew I35 in such manner as to move the block I33 back and forthbetween the side pieces II1 and H9.

In Fig. 9, the block I33 is shown in its extreme forward, or left-handposition. In this position it will be seen that cam I21 on block I33coincides with cam I2! on section C, while the cam I29 on block I 33 isof a curved form, commencing (at the top in Fig. 9) as an extension ofcam I29 in section A. The curvature of cam I29 on block I33 is such thatat. the lower end of block I33 (in Fig. 9) the cams I21 and I29 arespaced apart only by a distance suflicient to clear the roller I3I.

Fig. shows, by way of distinction, how the movable block I33 appearswhen it is in its most rearward, or right-hand position. In Fig. 10 itwill be seen that neither cam I 21 nor cam I29, on the block I33,coincide with, or form extensions of, the respective ends of cams I21and I29 on sections A and C.

The significance of the movement of the block I33 will be explainedhereinafter.

Returning now to Fig. 5, it will be seen that each measuring cylinder 83is provided with a relatively tightly fitting, albeit movable pistonI45. The piston I45 is of a cup shape, with its closed end to the right.Extending to the left from the piston I45 is a connecting rod I41, theouter end of which is secured by' a pin I49 to a slidable bearing blockI5I. By reference to Fig.

.4, it Will be seen that the inner surface I53 of each bearing block I5!is curved, in order to fit against the outer surface of cylinder 99hereinbefore described. The radially outer ends of the bearing blocksI5I serve to rotatably mount the rollers I 3|, hereinbefore described.

By reference to Fig. 5, it will be seen that the surface 85 of frame I,which is in juxtaposition with the rotatable disc I8, is not continuedaround the entire circle, but is purposely discontinued at the bottom inorder to provide a discharge space or opening indicated by numeral I54.Mounted on the frame I in the region of the discharge opening I54 is abracket I55, on which are mounted pins I51. The ends of pins I51 supporta wire or other knock-off roller, scraper or paddle or the like I59 (seealso Fig. 4) which closely juxtaposes the surface of the disc I8 in itsoutlet position,

for purposes hereinafter to be described.

The discharge opening I54 is, in the finished machine, preferablypositioned directly above the receiving hopper of the rounder 25.

The operation of the device is as follows:

The motor 5 operates continuously and hence continuously drives thecompressor 1 which maintains the tank 26 at the predetermined pressure,as determined by the safety device or unloader. The constant speed shaftI I of the speed reducer I3 operates continuously. By manipulating thehand wheel 21, the variable speed drive I3 is caused to operate itsshaft I? at any one of a predetermined range of rates, thus providingfor variation in the rate of operation of the divider 2I and the rounder25.

The variable speed shaft I I thus drives the divider 2! by way of thetrain of gears I9 (which preferably includes a suitable clutch) and alsodrives the rounder 25 by Way of the branch train 23. From the above itwill be seen that the output of the machine is regulated by means of thevariable speed drive and that the divider 2| may be stopped at any timewithout stopping the remainder of the machine.

Dough is placed in one or both of the tanks 4?. It is preferably placedin only one tank and from there is fed by means of air pressure to thechamber 65 associated with the tank 45 being used. The valve II isturned to connect that chamber 65 to the outlet chamber 59, and thus tothe chamber I5. The chamber 75 delivers dough to the scaling valve 2|,the operation of which will now be described.

The disc 18, and all parts connected therewith, are rotating. This meansthat each of the openmouthed cylinders 83 will successively be broughtinto position before the chamber 75, in order to receive dough. Theplacement of the pistons I45 in the cylinders 83 is regulated by thecams I2! and I29, through their action on the rollers I3I associatedwith the pistons I45. The sequence of position of the pistons I45 willbe understood by reference to Figures 8 and 9. The disc I8, it will beunderstood, is rotating in a counterclockwise direction. Starting withthe righthand edge of upper clamp half IIl'I as an initial position, itwill be seen that a given roller I3I Will be in section A, which meansthat this roller I 3! is in its extreme right-hand position. The lengthof the connecting rod I47 is such that the extreme right-hand positionof the roller I3I brings the face of piston I45 flush with the face ofdisc I8; no portion of the cylinder 83 is therefore open at this time.However, as the given roller I3I passes from section A into section B,it encounters the curved portion of cam I29, which moves the roller moreand more to the left as the roller traverses section B. Section B, whichextends through about 85 of arc, is the loading section of the operationof the scaling valve. During motion through this section, the piston Iis slowly retracted in the cylinder 83, allowing an increasingly greaterdepth of the cylinder 83 to be exposed to the incoming mass of doughunder pressure in the chamber I5; The pressure of the dough in thechamber I5 causes it to enter and fill the cylinder 83, to an extentdetermined by the position of piston I 45. As illustrated in Fig. 9, themovable section I33 of the camming device is arranged to scale a maximumquantity of dough; in other words, the piston I 45, during its traverseof section B, is moved from its extreme right-hand position to itsextreme left-hand position.

During this loading stage, the retraction of the piston I 45 is normallyaccomplished by the engagement of roller I3I with cam I29. However, ifthe pressure of the dough is sufficient, it may force against the pistonI45 causing the roller I3I to leave the cam I29. The forward cam I21,however, stops the movement of roller I3I as soon as the piston I45 hasreached its extreme left-hand position, thus scaling the proper amountof dough. By the time the roller Il3I is ready to enter section C, it isagain brought into accurate position between cams I2! and I29, becauseof the convergence of the cams, regardless o-f whether or not it hasbeen actuated entirely by the cam I29, or partly by the pressure of thedough, in traversing section B.

Because the cylinder 83 enters the loading phase, namely, its region ofjuxtaposition with the chamber I5 with the piston I45 in its extremeright-hand position, there is no opportunity for any air to accumulatein the cylinder 83, and thus the dough entering the cylinder 83,

as the piston I45 retracts, is not obliged to displace any air. In otherwords, the scaling valve of the present invention acts in a positivedisplacement manner, and errors in measurement due to entrapped volumesof air are not encountered.

Returning to the action of the cam race I25 on the roller I3I, it willbe seen that as the roller I3I leaves section B, it is definitelypositioned by both the cams I21 and cam I23, so that the cylinder 83 hasa definite measured charge of dough therein. The edges of disc 58 andchamber I5 act as shearing means, detaching the mass of dough incylinder 83 from the mass of dough in the chamber I5, at about thistime.

While the roller I 3| is in sections C and D of the cam race, it isprevented from moving to the left by cam I21, but its movement to theright is prevented only by the presence of the mass of dough in thecylinder 83. Sections C and D together, which extend through about ofarc, are denominated as the loaded section of the traverse of the discI8.

Entering section the roller I3! is forced to the right by the curvedportion of cam I21. This rightward movement of the roller I3I causes thepiston I45 to move to the right, and since the disc I8 is now in theregion of the discharge opening I54, the mass of dough in cylinder 83 isforced forwardly and ejected from the cylinder 83. The wire or otherknock-out member I 59 serves finally to scrape the surface of pistonI45, making sure that all of the dough as thus measured is detached orremoved from the scaling valve. The final ejection of the mass of doughtakes place as the roller I3I passes from section E to section F, atwhich point it is again Con-1 fined as to position between cams I21 andI29.

This emptying phase of operation, comprising section E, extends throughabout 45 of arc.

The roller I3I, throughout section F and into section A, maintains thesurface of piston I45 at its extreme right-hand position in cylinder 83,as heretofore described, and conditions the cylinder 83 for measuringanother mass of dough.

With the sliding block I33 in its extreme lefthand position, as shown inFig. 9, the scaling valve 2I measures a maximum quantity of dough ineach of the cylinders 83. By rotating the handle MI in such a manner asto move the sliding block I33 to the right, the cam I2I is moved moreand more to the right, until the extreme right-hand position shown inFig. 10 is achieved. With the block in this position, the-traverse ofthe roller I3I through section D, it. will readily be seen, is such asto confine theleftward'movement of the roller I3I to a lessermovementthan was the case in Fig. 9. This means that less'of thecylinder 83 will be filled with dough, or, in other words, the valvewill scale a smaller mass of dough. The remainder of the traverse ofroller I3I through sections C, D and E is the same as heretoforedescribed in connection with Fig. 9, except that it is to be noted thatwith a'smaller measured quantity of dough the roller I3I passes acrosssections C and D, and the fore-part of section E, without being incontact with either cam I21 or cam I29. This is of no consequence,however, as the cam means are provided for limiting the measuringmovement of the piston I45 as well as the ejecting movement of pistonI45.

Quantities of dough of intermediate Weight are scaled by adjusting theposition of the sliding cam block I33 between its Fig. 9 and its Fig. 10

positions.

From the discharge opening I54, the scaled mass of dough drops into therounder 25, where it is rounded up and delivered in a manner wellknownin the art. 7 V

The positive indrawing action of the cam with respect to the piston I45,coordinating with the dough movement as it is displaced under pres.-sure, results in substantially no punishing of the dough as it entersthe scaling cylinders.

When the cylinder 41 which has been previously loaded with dough becomesempty or nearly empty, the other cylinder 41 is filled, closed, and airpressure applied. The pressure is then removed from the substantiallyempty tanli 41, and the valve II manually changed by moving the handleI4 in order to connect the now full tank. Thus continuous action ofthe'machine is possible without shutdowns. for reloading.

A valuable advantage of the dough divider oi the present inventionis'the manner in which it may be disassembled for cleaning; For example,in order to clean the scaling valve 2 I, all that needs to be done is toopen the clamp halves IIll' and I09 to the position shown. in Fig. 7,loosen the nut 91, and remove the entire rotatable assembly from theshaft 80. The chamber I5 may also be cleaned, merely by moving theswinging arm 8| to itsdotted line position, as shown in Fig. 5, and thenmerely slipping the member IT to the right and lifting it from the frameI. The valve II may also be removed from the apparatus with facility.The tanks 41 may readily be cleaned Without removing them from themachine.

In View of the'above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying out the above constructionswithout departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended thatall matter contained in the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

I claim:

1. A dough divider having a chamber, means for delivering dough underpressure to said chamber, a disc rotatable in juxtaposition with respectto said chamber, said disc having a plurality of cylinders thereindisposed in a circle around the center of rotation. of said disc, theaxes of said cylinders being parallel to the axis of rotation of saiddisc, pistons in said cylinders, means for positively moving saidpistons in said cylinders as they pass said chamber so as to efiect anentry of a predetermined mass of dough into the respective cylinders,said means comprising rollers connected for movement with said pistons,and rotatable about an axis radial to the axis of rotation of said disc,and camming tracks disposed around the axis of rotation of said disc inposition to be engaged by said rollers, and means supporting the saidcamming tracks, comprising a pair of semi-circular clamps arranged to bebrought together in cylindrical juxtaposition, said camming tracks beinglocated on the inside surfaces of said clamps.

2. A dough divider having a chamber, means for delivering dough underpressure to said chamber, a disc rotatable in juxtaposition with respectto said chamber, said disc having a plurality of cylinders thereindisposed in a circle around the center of rotation of said disc, theaxes of said cylinders being parallel to the axis of rotation of saiddisc, pistons in said cylinders, means for positively moving saidpistons in said cylinders as they pass said chamber so as to effect anentry of a predetermined mass of dough into the respective cylinders,said means comprising rollers connectedfor movement with saidv piston,and rotatable about an axis radial to the axis of rotation of said disc,and camming tracks disposed around the axis of rotation of said disc inposition to be engaged by said rollers, and means supporting the saidcamming tracks, comprising a pair of semi-circular clamps arranged to bebrought together in cylindrical juxtaposition, said camming tracks beinglocated on the inside surfaces of said clamps, said camming trackshaving at least one adjustable section, whereby the amount of doughreceived into said cylinders may be regulated.

CHARLES L. RUSSELL.

